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Light of the Stereo

Monday, February 16, 2015

The British brass, bass and beats combo Sam and the Womp have a wildly fun musical style that inspires mob dancing and random acts of physical rhythm. Their long awaited sophomore single is a bombastic blast of dance-ska that's just in time to get the festive party started. Looking to follow up the stunning success of their 2012 debut single "Bom Bom", which sold more than a million copies worldwide and zoomed straight to No. 1 in the UK charts and achieving 4xPlatinum status in Australia, the band is coming on full force.
Set for release later in 2015, their album is sure to pack out the dance floors all around the world. So be one of the first to catch the beat and get your rear moving to this madness.

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Child star turned song-writer, 19 year-old Denyse Tontz has made her way in the entertainment life since she was 10.
With numerous roles on the small screen and an Emmy to her name Tontz has got a head start on a lot of other artists twice her age. Sharing her time between acting and her music she is a very busy young lady.
Her music is an addictive blend of playful lyrics and catchy pop melodies that are nearly impossible to avoid dancing to.
I decided to let my daughter Cassidy Inman take the reins in this interview; where she talked to Denyse Tontz about her music, acting and what lies ahead.

CI: Do you enjoy acting or singing Better?

DT: Although I love both acting and singing very much, songwriting was actually my first love. I've always felt the need to express myself through writing, so it was something that just came along naturally. Acting was something I didn't know I loved until I did it. Really, if you think about it though, they actually go hand in hand. The acting chops were necessary to sell my lyrics, and the lyrics act as a script of sorts for the singer. Ideally, though, I'd love to be able to find success in both fields.

DT: Most things I write about are based off some event or situation in my life. Boys, most often. Ha! If not that, then I tend to write observational songs. One of my favorite things to do is poke fun. :)

CI: You speak both Spanish and English do you find one language easier to sing in?

DT: Obviously English is my primary language, so it's a million times more natural for me to sing in English than any other language. However, I do love the way the Spanish language sounds sung. It's so beautiful. I really want to learn more languages and be able to sing in those as well.

CI: From your song “Use It,” have you found more motivation from positive or negative influences?

DT: I'd say it's about fifty-fifty. Positive reinforcement is of course one of the best forms of motivation, but sometimes you don't always get that. Over the years I've learned to take negative energy from other people and adopt a different attitude toward it. Instead of letting it affect me, I try to use it as an incentive to prove that person wrong. Don't they say the best form of revenge is success?

CI: You’ve been a model since you were 10 how did you get your start in music?

DT: My parents put me in piano lessons as a kid, and though I hated it half the time, I'm really grateful they did. I sort of developed an ear for melody from playing, and eventually started mimicking pop songs I really liked. I would replace the lyrics with ones I'd made up, and later on I started experimenting with my own ideas. By middle school it became sort of an outlet for me. It was almost therapeutic.

CI: Do you have any albums coming out soon?

DT: I am planning on releasing a steady stream of singles (starting with "Use It", clearly,) and I'm hoping to release each one with a video as well. The next one in line is a song called "Mr. Hipster".

CI: How did you and your manager meet?

DT: I met my producer when I was fifteen, and he's been developing me since then. It's been almost a year and a half since we've been with my manager, Danny Goldberg. Danny had heard our stuff through a mutual friend, and so we set up meeting, ended up clicking, and the rest is history. It's truly a privilege to be able to work with someone with such an amazing track record in this industry.

CI: What’s it like hearing your song used in a TV show?

DT: It's kind of surreal. You don't realize it at the time you're writing it, but once it's airing and the song starts to play, it kinda starts to sink in. I'm really lucky to have been able to write for All My Children, and it was an enormous surprise when I found out my song had been nominated for an Emmy. I definitely owe everyone at Prospect Park one for trusting in me not to write a crappy song. LOL!

CI: What are some artists are you currently listening to?

DT: Ooooh. That's a toughie. I like everyone from Arctic Monkeys to Bob Marley. To list each one would be a pretty long task. Ha!

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

In this week's Tuesday Double Feature we're highlighting the videos of 19-year-old LA based songwriter, Denyse Tontz. Splitting her time between singing and acting Tontz is a busy young woman. Her songs a catchy fun little tunes ripe with radio appeal.
Currently, she is shooting a feature film called “Earthfalls” along with completing work on her upcoming debut album.
Make sure to come back tomorrow for the interview she did with my thirteen year-old daughter Cassidy Inman.

Monday, February 9, 2015

Bringing back the powerful joy of real rock 'n' roll the UK Duo Royal Blood plays the kind of music that will keep the neighbors up and makes you feel alive. Screw all you that say Rock'n'roll is dead. The Truth is that it just got tired of you hipster assholes and went to start its own party somewhere else.
Having released their self-titled debut album late last year on the Warner Bro. Label the band has been gaining recognition and accolades ever since. Now for those of you that don't think this band is the real thing, I'd like you to tell Dave Grohl that. With upcoming support shows with the Foo Fighters and an extended North American tour this band is doing it right. We'll be lucky enough to have them playing May 25th at the Wonder Ballroom. So clear your schedules and line up the babysitters cause you won't want to miss it.

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Boroko - "The Expressionist"
Level 11 Studios
October 29th, 2013
New York, New York
USA

Set to release his sophomore album Western Child,later this year. Australian vocalist Tim Fontaine aka BOROKO brings his broodingly powerful voice to another set of uniquely alternative songs. There's something enticingly dirty about BOROKO like Sean Penn singing jazzed up versions of Lenard Cohan songs. Retaining a favorable rock edge that keeps your toes tapping and head bobbing, the new album should be filled with hours of audio pleasure.